Remember Me

by Stacey Nash

  “Why not?”

  “We’re just going to skip through the front gates, are you crazy?”

  He chuckles. “It’s almost midnight. Our sensor friend will be in the guardhouse; she’ll turn off the barrier for a few minutes and distract the guards for us to bolt out. There won’t be anyone else awake to see us. After, she’ll switch it back and no one will know.” He squeezes my hand.

  “She’s a sensor, aren’t they supposed to be all virtuous? This sounds like a major crime. Are you sure we can trust her?”

  He stops in the shadow of a tree and pulls me back by our held hands so I’m facing him, just inches away from his face. His eyes search mine, unwavering. “It will be okay. I promise you we can trust her. She’s not an ordinary sensor.” He glances to the guardhouse, encircled by a road and gates on either side. His hand covers his ear and he nods. “Okay, she knows we’re ready. Now we just have to wait for her signal.”

  He gives my hand another squeeze and leans in, brushing my lips with a soft kiss. “It won’t be long and this nightmare will be over.”

  “Jax—”

  “It’s okay. Let’s get closer.”

  I slide my hand out of his and turn to face the guardhouse. A warm prickling sensation crawls up my spine and settles on the back of my neck. I shiver, trying to shake it off and peer into the darkness, but nothing is there. Get a grip, loose the nerves.

  The cobblestones on the street seem even smoother here, like the closer we get to the gate the more perfect everything looks. We pass a few buildings and Jax brings us to a stop behind a perfectly manicured hedge. We both peek over the top. Something flashes through the window of the guardhouse like a quick blink of light. Frowning, I can’t figure out what it was. Blink, flash. It’s blue, and it flashes then disappears again.

  Jax nudges my side. “Go.”

  We jump up from behind the shrub and run. He falls a little behind, and when I check to make sure he’s there, he offers a reassuring smile. The cold night air stings my lungs as I breathe hard, and we dash onto the street. Then across the road, and head right for the gate on the closest side of the guardhouse. Something whooshes past my ear, but I don’t stop to find out what it was. I keep running, the guardhouse is almost within reach. Glancing inside without stopping, I can’t see any people. The windows are tinted. The ornate iron gates tower above the guardhouse and I crane my head back, trying to gauge its height. Something whooshes past my ear again.

  Someone yells, “Stop them.”

  No. No, no, no.

  We have to get out. We’re so close.

  My sights set on a small door at the side of the gate, I run for it.

  A thud and a loud grunt make me spin as I slam my hand onto the gate’s door.

  NO! Jax is flat on the ground, Nik’s knee on his back pinning him down.

  I freeze.

  “Run,” Jax yells and Nik pushes down, silencing him with a grunt.

  I can’t leave him. Shaking my head no, I drop my hand and turn around, making direct eye contact with Nik. Someone shoots out of the shadows and seizes my arm. I squeal a throat burning, ear piercing squeal as my elbow is twisted up behind me. Struggling to spin and see my captor, I can’t move. I’m forced to watch Nik hold Jax down. “Got her,” says a gruff voice.

  There’s movement to the left, at the guardhouse, as an agent-guard pushes a sensor along in the same way I’m being held. Arm twisted back. Her eyes meet mine and I try to convey I’m sorry, but don’t hold her gaze for long because mine is drawn back to Jax. Nik hauls him to his feet. His hands cuffed with some kind of green-glowing binding. I heave against my captor, trying to get to Jax and make Nik’s stop hurting him. But my other arm gets yanked behind me and my wrists sting as they’re pulled in together. There’s no way I can reach Jax.

  “Well, well.” Nik looks to me, gloating. “If I didn’t catch the town whore.”

  Jax strains and pulls and struggles, brings his knee up, kicks out at Nik, who steps back chuckling. “Now, now little brother. Don’t get worked up, there’s no virtue to defend.”

  Jax spits and it lands right on Nik’s shoe. Nik shoves him forward by his bound hands. “Time to explain yourself to our father.”

  A firm grip squeezes my shoulder so hard it hurts. I look back and it’s her guiding me forward. Rake Woman. Bia, with a maniacal grin spread across her face. “No more playing princess for you.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Mae

  Nik and his brawn move us onto the floating transports with jabs in the back and hard shoves. I wind up crammed on one with Bia, the guard, and the sensor. We’re all so close I can barely move my lungs to inhale. Facing the sensor, her soft eyes looking into mine, makes me want to fall in a heap and let her take all my troubles away. But she can’t. We’re both prisoners now. Instead, I close my eyes and pretend this isn’t happening. We screech to a stop outside the house, the barrier shoots down, and we all just about topple off the transport.

  Nik prods Jax off the floating platform beside us. We’re all marched up the curling stairs and into the building, through the vast foyer, over its symbol, and right to Councilor Manvyke’s office. The woman’s bony fingers jab into my arm as she guides me. Stomach churning like throwing up is not only likely, but imminent, I glance at Jax who looks straight ahead with a stony expression.

  Nik kicks him in the back of the knees and I suck in a sharp breath as his legs buckle beneath him, making him fall in a heap on the marble floor. This is my fault.

  A sharp pain in my leg sends me falling too, with my hands bound behind me. I spin my shoulder forward to break the fall and it slams into the cold hard floor, jarring every bone in my body.

  “Well, this isn’t how I wanted it to pan out.” Manvyke sounds smug.

  I try to move, lift my head, face his voice. But something drives into my back, pushing me flat against the ground.

  “Nikias tells me your memories are returning.”

  Hatred, pure undiluted hatred, for the man sets my teeth on edge. “You stole them,” I say, even though I’ve got no real proof it was him.

  He laughs. “I stole your memories? If I wanted you to forget, believe me, you would have forgotten.”

  “Don’t trust him,” the sensor says. “He has mind-altering—” A sharp slap echoes off the stone cold walls. She groans. “Tech.”

  “Gag her,” Manvyke snaps. “We’ll fix her, too.” Shuffling: must be him moving to stand over her. His voice softens, just a little to take off the hard edge. “Believe me, this is the last thing I want for you of all people, but you just can’t be trusted. I should have known you’d find a way to get near her.”

  Scraping, like feet dragged across the tiles, can only be the sensor forced across the room. My guard must be distracted because I manage to tilt my head to the side just enough to see her being hoisted up onto a chair. Her guard binds her ankles to the chair legs with the same glowing green rope.

  Mind-altering tech. Of course, it makes so much sense. More sense than an amnesia inducing blow to the head, and it totally adds up. But how could a mind wipe take away everything, my life, my past, my feelings—yet not do the same to Jax? He said he remembers being here before, yet I remember nothing, zero, zilch of my life before I woke. The only thing he couldn’t recall is the years between age eleven and now. They only replaced his memories.

  A siren wails through the night air, jerking everyone’s attention its way. Manvyke raises his head and looks around like a startled tiger ready to defend its kill. “Bia.” He scowls and taps his fingers on the table. “Get the vaccus ready.”

  The pressure on my back releases, footsteps move away then I’m lifted by my bound hands, my shoulders almost popping out of their sockets as they hold my entire weight. It takes everything I’ve got not to cry out. The pain stops as my butt slams a little too forcefully onto a chair. Relief.

  “Now,” Manvyke sets his sight on me. “Where is that necklace?”

  I twist away so I’m not
forced to look at him.

  “Answer me, girl.”

  Nik steps around from behind me and stands right in front, his ugly face set in an ugly smirk. “Not so hot now, are you, Anamae?”

  I meet him eye to eye, and a sneer worthy of being on his father twists his mouth. “Not talking?” he growls.

  “Leave her alone,” Jax groans more than says, but there’s still bite in his words.

  Tearing my attention away from Nik, I glance across the room and Jax’s rising to his knees, his arms bound too. Nik’s fingernails cut into my chin as he grabs it and tugs my face around, forcing me to look at him rather than his brother. He leans in so close his sweet breath fills my nose, almost as sickly as his next words. “Now let’s see who wins those little games you like to play.”

  He releases my chin, running his fingers down the side of my face. Coldness shoots right to my insides, making me quiver, but I don’t let it show. I keep my eyes locked on his face, letting it gloss over so I’m looking through him not at him and set my jaw tight.

  “You don’t get to mess with me and get away with it.”

  “Where is it?” Manvkye says.

  I swallow. Don’t flinch, don’t show emotion, don’t let him win.

  A sharp rap sounds on the door.

  “Hear that, little brother, she tied me to her bed.” Nik’s words sound sweet and almost seductive. His face so close to mine his hot breath assaults my ear, mouth, and senses. His lips pass over my cheek, barely touching it. I close my eyes and hold my breath, ripples of disgust churning my stomach. Don’t touch me. There’s movement close by, I sense more than see it as I can see only Nik.

  “Enough, Nikias.” I never thought I’d be relieved to hear Manvyke speak.

  Nik flicks his tongue onto my cheek, dragging it from my jaw to my ear. Then he releases my chin with a flick. Certain I’m going to vomit, I swallow and swallow and swallow but the feeling doesn’t fade.

  Another knock on the door.

  Nik pulls back and Jax is right beside him, fury written all over his face. Standing tall, Jax brings his head down, smashing it into the side of Nik’s with a crunch. Dazed, Nik stumbles to the side and his legs get caught up in mine, both of them around the chair, almost making it topple. He recovers and jumps to his feet, swinging his fist and punching Jax square in the jaw. No. I can’t break free. Jax stumbles back, unable to defend himself with bound arms. Palms right at his chest height, Nik shoves him backward onto the floor. A sharp gasp escapes me. We need to get away. Pronto.

  “Nikias.” Manvyke speaks with the patience of a bored parent. “Stop it.”

  He glares up at his father, one hand holding Jax down at the chest, the other raised in a fist.

  The sharp rap sounds again, followed by an urgent, “Councilor.”

  “As much as I like watching you boys fight it out …” Manvyke says. “That’s enough.” He looks in the direction of the door. “Come in.”

  The door squeaks open and two agents walk past me to Manvyke’s desk, their arms straight by black-uniformed sides. Three full stars on their sleeves mark them as the highest ranked agents: council sentry.

  “What is it?” he asks in a sharp tone.

  “Trouble, sir. There’s been another breach.”

  “And you’re telling me because?”

  “We’ve been sent as protection.” He gestures toward the door as if to indicate ’we’ means more than just the two of them.

  “Not necessary.”

  “But sir, you’re a patriarch.”

  Manvyke sweeps his hands through the air. “One who has his own security team. We will deal with it. Thank you for the report.” He returns his attention to his desk.

  The agents exchange a quick glance. One shrugs, and they both turn, leaving the room. As soon as the door shuts, a sharp knock sounds on it again.

  “What is it now?” Manvyke doesn’t bother raising his head.

  “It’s ready,” Bia says.

  Manvyke’s face breaks into a smile that doesn’t reach his icy eyes. “Who’s first?”

  Bia grabs my arm, pulling me up off the chair, and grins at Nik. “Would you like the pleasure?”

  He turns toward us, his jaw set and his lips pressed together. “I’d love to. And afterwards, I’ll be the first person she sees.” His mouth lifts in a semi-smile and his eyes narrow. “She’ll believe whatever I tell her.” He shoves Jax right under his collarbone. “Won’t that be nice, little brother?”

  Jax doesn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Good.

  Bia moves away from me, taking Nik’s place pinning Jax to the floor. My heart constricts, trying to squeeze itself two sizes too small. I don’t want to forget. Please. I can’t lose him or lose me again. Not now, not ever. Think, Mae. I wriggle my arms and pull against the binding, but it’s no use, it won’t budge. Nik chuckles and reaches down, hooking his hand through the crook of my elbow and lifting me off my feet.

  My too tiny heart beats super fast, trying to pump itself back to normal size.

  “You can’t have her. We had a deal. Take me!” the sensor yells. Something about the way her voice inflects slams a memory back. Me hiding behind the front door, young and scared and a man all in black … like agent leathers … talking too quickly.

  “Deal?” Manvyke sounds incredulous. “You broke the deal.”

  Deal? I look from her to him and back again. My mind freezes, and everything blurs together so Jax and Manvyke are in the same place. “I … ah … deal?”

  “She doesn’t know?” Manvyke asks.

  Silence as blank as my frozen thoughts hangs in the air.

  “No,” the sensor says in a softly, almost sad, which tugs at the edge of my memories.

  “I didn’t want to do this to you.” Glaring at her, he gives a slight shake of his head. “You are valuable to us … to me.” He sighs.

  She glances away, toward me.

  “Yes.” Manvyke sighs again, this time heavy with emotion. “Don’t take the girl first. After everything she’s done, she deserves to see those she loves forget her before she meets her fate, too. That is of course, unless she can hand over the Tarlequin.”

  “I don’t have the Tarlequin.” My throat squeezes. “I don’t even know what it looks like.”

  “The pendant, Anamae, your favorite necklace.”

  The sensor struggles against her guard. “No, don’t—”

  “Silence.” Manvyke thumps his fists on the desk.

  “I don’t … I don’t have it.”

  He turns his narrowed eyes to the sensor and gives a crisp nod, all emotion now clipped from his tone. “Take her.”

  Her eyes meet mine and as the guard pulls her to her feet the hood falls back. For the first time I can see her face clearly. Everything around me freezes in this moment as my heart explodes. My mother. I remember my mother. She’s been missing for almost half of my life. This woman, sensor, standing in front of me is my mother.

  Her tiny frame is barely larger than mine at about five-four, even with her shoulders stooped. Her steely-grey eyes are dull in her pale familiar heart-shaped face. Although I know her, there’s a lot that’s different, too. Her beautiful long tresses are now shaved to a short stubble. Small wrinkles line her forehead and eyes.

  Mom?

  She looks older, hardened, and above all else, unhappy. Not the young carefree mother I remember. What happened to her and why did she leave us?

  Nik snaps his hand open and I fall onto the hard chair. The sudden jar jolts me back to the present. “Mom?”

  “Ah, you know now,” Manvyke says and it takes everything I’ve got to look away from her to him and his satisfied smile. “You’ve got her back after how many years?”

  “Nine,” she mumbles.

  Manvyke raises his hands and his fingers touch forming a steeple over his desk as he regards me. “Ready?”

  I stare at her, greedily taking in every inch. It’s my mom. After all these years, she’s actually here. We’re
in the same room. A tight knot of something else clenches inside me. She left me. She left Dad to come here. She’s Collective. I feel my head move slightly, she can’t be. Manvyke’s pushing her around, just like he is me, and it’s just not possible, Dad would’ve known.

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” she says as if she can read my thoughts.

  “Last chance,” Manvyke snaps. “Where is it?”

  She continues to hold eye contact, and now it’s pleading. “No,” she whispers.

  “I don’t know.” The words feel like they choke me.

  “Now,” Manvyke says.

  The guard propels her forward. As she passes, her eyes soften and if it’s possible to hug someone with a look alone, she does it. “I love you, Anamae, and your father too.”

  Chapter Thirty One

  Mae

  Tears stream down my face, their heat burning my cheeks and throat. I hadn’t realized they were building, they just pounced on me, erupting like an over-boiled pot. I ache to reach out and grab my mother, throw my arms around her, but I can’t. If I knew where the damned pendant was, I’d give it to him right now, just to save her. When I strain against the binding, it cuts into my wrists, stinging like hell. With our stares anchoring each other, she’s pushed past me and out of the room. Huge tears build and spill so fast I can’t see through the blurry haze. My throat aches. Voices light as a whisper echo through the open door like my memories are speaking.

  “She won’t remember you soon,” Manvyke says, “and that is payback for exposing me to the council.”

  “What?” I ask.

  “Not that it had the affect you wanted it to,” Nik adds.

  “Your plan to overthrow the patriarchs doesn’t seem to be working. At least, things seem to be the same here as they always were.” Jax’s voice is muffled by his cheek squished against the ground.

  “Get him up,” Manvyke says.

  “But—” Nik sounds like a whining child.

  “Get your brother up off the floor.”

  Nik glares at Manvyke and makes a deep growling noise. “He—”